Electric connecter



March 18, 1930. w 1,751,299

ELECTRIC GONNEC'IER Filed March 5, 1928 Patented Mar. 18, 1930 HIIGO H. WERMINE, OF VILLA PARK,

ING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASS IGNOB TO BELDEN MANUFACTUR- ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION ILLINOIS ELECTRIC commcrnn 1 Application filed March 5,

This invention relates to electric connecters, and more particularly to the female part of a separable plug connecter which is particularly adapted for use in connection with a floor cord or extension wire.

One object of the invention is to provide a small, compact, neat appearing plug connecter of the above mentioned type which can be mafiiufactured very cheaply and 8001101111, ca

Aziother object is to provide in a plug connecter, means for facilitating connection of the connecter to the conductor or conductors of the floor cord or extension wire, and which means is capable of being manipulated by a person unskilled in the art of electric connec tions. I Still another object is to provide means for anchoring the connecter on the end of the floor cord 'so as to relieve the conductor elements of the cord from such strain as might be imposed thereon by any tendency to separate the connecter from the cord.

It is also an object of this invention'to provide a connecterof the class described, which is light in weight, yet strong and durable, and in general, to provide an improved connecter of the type described. Other objects and ad vantages of the invention will be understood y reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated a connecter embodying a selected form of my invention, and in which drawing:

Fig. 1 is an assembly view showing one use trilwdhich my improved connecter may be ap-' p 1e l Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of my improved connecter, a cover plate being removed so as to show. the interior of the connecter.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on the lines 44 and 5-5 respectively of Fig. 3, and

' Fig. 6 is a perspective of one of the contact elements constituting apart of my improved connecter.

Referring now to the drawings, I have shown in Flg. 1 a floor cord including preferably, a flat relatively wide but, thin rubber covered duplex conductor 10 connected to a duplex extension cord 11 by means of a conable,

1928. Serial No. 259,297.

necter 12 of suitable construction, the free ends of the conductor 10 and extension 11b0- ing provided with connecters 13and 14 respectively. The connecter 14 on the free end of the extension 11 may be of any suitable type of male connecter plug, and the connecter 13 is preferably a female connecter plug constructed in accordance with the present invention.

A conductor cord assembly such as above described is particularly adapted for use in a room where a convenient electric outlet is located on one wall of the room and it is desired to operate an electrical device in aremote part of the room where no electric outlet is conveniently available. The flat duplex conductor 10 is v adapted to lie flat on the floor and to be substantially. concealed by a rug or other floor covering, the 'oonnecters 12 and 13 being positioned adjacent edge portions of the covering so that a minimum-of the end portions of the flat conductor 10 will be visible.

The connecter 14 on the free end of the extension wire 11 may be connected to the available outlet and the connecter 13 then serves as an outlet adjacent the location of the device itis desired to operate. The extension wire 11 is preferably provided with anornamental covering so that it does not detract. materially from the appearance of the room.

The connecter 13 is preferably formed of suitable insulating material "which may be molded into the desired shape and which when set or hardened, will be strong'and durand will present a neat and pleasing appearance. In the present instance I prefer 'to make the main bodyjmember 15 of the connecter of a phenol condensation product. This material has all the desirable features mentioned above and is such that it mayeasily be molded to the desired shape, and when- -hardened presents a polished finish which enapertures 16 and 17 extending from top to bottom thereof, and a recessed bottom portion 18 which is formed by providing an annular flange 19 depending from the'bottom 18.

Nuts such as shown at 20 in Fig. 5 are I afford a good grip over the flange 25 spectively,

ac tions as in the prongs 25 of the. male connecter 55 at their ends for t5 Screws such molded in place in the bottom portion of the body member, the outer surface of the nuts being knurled or otherwise roughened to for the body material .on the nut members. Contact members 21 such as shown in Fig. 6, which include a leg portion 22 and flange portion 23,' are provided and secured, one to each of the nut members as shown in Fig. 5 The flange portion 23 of the contact member is aperture'd as indicated at 24, to fit over an end portion of the nut which projects beyond the bottom surface 18 of the body member, and said projecting end portion of the nut member is swaged portion 23 around the aperture 24. The aperture 24 is preferably tapered so that the end portion of the nut may be swa ed to lock the contact member against the ottom surface 18 of the body without 20 projecting beyond the bottom face of the flange portion 23.

As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the leg portions 22 of the respective contact members are disposed in the apertures 16 and 17 reand are bowed outwardly slightly so that when the prongs 25-25 of 9. connecter plug such as 44 (Fig. 2) are inserted into the apertures 16 and 17 good electrical contact will be established between the leg por- 2222 and the said. prongs 25-25. 22,0f each of the contacts is also preferably provided with an offset portion or hump 26 which is adapted to interlock with an aperture such as is ;usually provilded p ug.

The apertures 16 and 17 are preferably undercut as indicated at 26 and 27 so that the upper ends of the contact members will be covered and will be-thereby protected from The leg portion engagement by the ends of the prongs of the connecter plug which are inserted into the apertures. This arrangement avoids the possibility of injuring the contact members by engagement between the ends of the prongs of the male connecter part and the ends-of the contact members in the female connecter part. I For facilitating connection to the connecter, of the wires of a duplex conductor 00nd such cord, th depending'flange 19 is notched as shown at 28 in Fig. 2to receive'and'closely fit over the top of the cord. The conductor elements 29 and 30 of the flat cord are bared a short lengthand disposed adjacent the bottom faces of the flanges of the respective contact members to which the conductor elements 29 and 30 are to be electrically connected. Clamping plates such as shown at 31 having an aperture 32 are provided with offset or bent ends 33, which bent ends are adapted to engage the bared end por- 1' tions of the wires to clamp thelatter tightly against the respective contact member flanges.

as shown at 34 threadedly engaging the nuts 20 and passing loosely through the apertures 32 in the clamping plates are provided for forcing the clamping plate towards the flanges of the respective contact members so that the bent end of each of the plates is effective to tightly clamp the respective wires into good electrical connection with the contact members. This form of connection may be readily manipulated by the most unskilled person. It is therefore a comparatively simple matter for any person to adjust the length of the floor cord- 10 by cutting off such surplus length as may be originally connecting the connecter plug at the end of the shortened cord. It is obviouslyunnecessary to*wind the ends of the conductors around the screws to insure good connection.-

The flat floor cord 10 contemplated in the furnished, and

use braided or stranded-copper wire so as to secure flexibility, and also to interlock with 'the rubber. v

The connecter is preferably provided with a depending lug or stud 37 which is molded integrally with the body member 15 and which stud is adapted to engage an aperture 38 provided in the rubber'covering of the conductors intermediate the two conductors. I prefer to enclose the clamping plates 31 and other parts which are disposed inthe recessed bottom of the bod member and for this purposeI provide the epending annular flange 19 with a seat 39 on which an insulating material cover plate 40 may be seated. A screw 41 threadedly engaging a tapped aperture 42 in the body is provided for locking thecover plate in place, and the cover plate is preferably provided with a tongue 43 which 41 from the body member. The above described form of connecter is 6 as the above described relatively flat floora simple "in construction and may be cheaply and economically manufactured and const1- thereby possibly unscrewing thetutes one preferred embodiment of my inveninvention, the scope of which should be de-- termined by reference to the following claims which should be construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim as my invention:'

1. In a plug connecter of the class described, the combination of an. insulating material body member provided with an aperture extendingtherethrough, a contact member having a leg portion and a flange portion extending at an angle from the leg portion, said contact member having its leg' portion disposed in said aperture and its flange portion disposed against the bottom of the body member, a clamping plate independent of said contact member, disposed -fiatwise adjacent said flange portion,and

screw means for forcing said clamping plate towards said flange whereby the clamping plate is operative to clamp an end portion of an electricalconductor between said flange portion and the plate, thereby to electrically connect said contact member and conductor.

2; In a plug connecter of the class described, the combination of' an insulating material body member provided with an aperture extending therethrough, a contact member having a leg portion disposed in said aperture and a flange portion extending at an angle from said leg portion and disposed flatwise against the bottom of the body memher, a clamping plate, independent of said contact member, disposed flatwise adjacent said flange portion and having a portion offset towards said'flange portion, and screw means for forcing said clamping plate towards said flange whereby the offset portion of the clamping plate is operative to clamp an end portion of an electric conductor between said flange and plate, thereby to elec-' trically connect said contact member and conductor. 1

3.'In a plug connecter of the class de scribed, the combination of an insulating material body member having an aperture extending therethrough, a contact member having aleg portion disposed in said aperture and a flange portion disposed flatwise against the bottom of the body member, a clamping plate having a portion adjacent one edge oflset towards said flange, screw means connecting said clamping plate, at a point spaced from said ofl'set portion, to said body member whereby the clamping plate is adapted to be forced towards said flange and said offset portion rendered efl'ective to clamp an end portion of a conductor against the flange at a point spaced from said screw means.

4. In a plug connecter of the class described, the combination of an insulating material body member provided with an aperture extending therethrough, a, contact member fixedly mounted on said body mem-V her and having a leg portion disposed in said aperture and a flange portion extending at an angle from said leg portion and disposed flatwise against the bottom of the body member, a clamping plate, independent of said contact member and overlying said flange portion and having a portion offset towards said flange portion, and screw means for forcing said clamping plate towards said flange whereby the oflset portionof the clamping plate is operative to clamp an end of an electric conductor between said flange and plate and thereby to electrically connect said contact member and conductor.

5. In a plug connecter of the class described, the combination of an insulating material body .member provided with an aperture extending therethrough, a nut embedded in said body member, a contact member secured to said nut member and havin a leg portion disposed in said aperture and a flange portion disposed flatwise against the bottom of said body member, a clamping plate having a portion adjacent one edge overlying said flange and ofiset towards-the same, and a screw cooperating with said nut for forcing said clamping plate towards said flange whereby the offset edge portion of the plate is adapted to clamp an end portion of an electric conductor against the flange to establish electrical connection between the conductor and contact member.

6. In combination, a relatively flat duplex conductor including a pair of spaced conductors disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane, a plug connecter for the end of said duplex conductor,'said connecter comprising an insulating material. body member provided with a pair of-spaced apertures extending therethrough, a pair of contact members having leg portions respective ly disposed in said apertures and flange portions disposed flatwise against the bottom of the body member, a pair of clamping plates respecti ely overlying said flange'p'ortions and each having a portion oflset towards the flange portion, screw means for forcing said clamping plates towards said flanges whereby the oflset portion of the respective plates is adapted to clamp an end portion of each of the respective conductors against the flange portions so as to electrically-connect the respective conductors and contact members, and means secured to said body member for enclosing said clamping plates and conductor end portions. 7

' HUGO H. WERMINE. 

